1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, and, more particularly, to a printhead carrier positioning apparatus and method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical ink jet printer forms an image on a print medium by ejecting ink from a plurality of ink jetting nozzles of an ink jet printhead to form a pattern of ink dots on the print medium. The ink jet printhead may be formed integral with a cartridge containing a supply of ink, thus forming a printhead cartridge. Such an ink jet printer typically includes a reciprocating printhead carrier that transports one or more printhead cartridges, that mount the ink jet printheads, across the print medium along a bi-directional scanning path defining a print zone of the printer. A sheet feeding mechanism is used to incrementally advance the print medium sheet in a sheet feed direction, also commonly referred to as a sub-scan direction or vertical direction, through the print zone between scans in the main scan direction.
When the ink supply contained in one of the printhead cartridges is depleted, then typically the printhead cartridge is replaced. In order to simplify printhead cartridge replacement, some printers include an opening that provides a user with sufficient space to change-out the printhead cartridge.
What is needed in the art is a printhead carrier positioning apparatus and method to aid in the positioning of the printhead carrier at a cartridge exchange opening for convenient printhead cartridge replacement.